McLaren raises the ‘supercar’ bar with the Artura

McLaren has had a fascinating history, from being one of the most successful Formula 1 constructor teams to producing arguably the most fantastic sportscar ever – the McLaren F1. This automaker with a motorsport pedigree – in its short stint as a carmaker – has also given us modern-day collectables, such as the McLaren Senna, named after one of the most revered F1 drivers, Aryton Senna, the Speedtail and 765LT. It has even collaborated with Mercedes to produce the McLaren Mercedes SLR – another legendary sports car that is highly revered among supercar collectors today.

But put aside history, let us talk about the present. McLaren comes out all guns blazing with the new Artura. In fact, the British performance carmaker braved the pandemic to launch its all-new sportscar in 2021.

However, the years following the pandemic saw the entire global auto industry lag in car supply due to a logistical scarcity revolving around semiconductors, which meant deliveries of the new McLaren Artura in the UAE only commenced in April this year.

The McLaren Artura is the luxury automaker’s take on a modern-day sports car, and here’s everything you need to know about it.

A new design

You would be forgiven to think it is an adaption of its predecessors, but the Artura is new, as in ‘never’ before. A boomerang inspires the headlights. Boasting a distinctive car design, the Artura is designed to make sure it channels air through its athletic body to maximise agility, grip and downforce, presenting you with the quintessential McLaren feeling.

The supercar is also the first to be based on McLaren’s new carbon fibre CLA architecture, which makes the Artura lighter than its predecessors.

Further, in pursuit of lightness, the entire rear clamshell cover for the engine is carved out of a single piece of metal. It’s designed to be small, noble, agile and athletic.

All in all, the entire car delivers upon the “drama” as promised. It is low, it is snug, and when you get in and out by operating the dihedral doors, you’ve got everyone’s attention – exactly how supercars are meant to.

Performance and handling

If you think dihedral doors are a talking point, you need to know about the engine.

For the first time ever, McLaren debuted a plug-in hybrid setup to a mass-production car, mass being relative here. The Artura’s brand new twin-turbo V6 gets mated to an electric motor, and in unison, it produces 670hp.

The power drives the rear wheels and is put down via an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. All of this sends the Artura from a standstill to triple-digit speeds in 2.9 seconds. For example, it took me longer to think about this sentence than what this supercar requires to reach 100km/h. All this can propel the car to a top speed of 330km/h, and what makes it possible is Artura’s lightweight body structure. It weighs in at just under 1,500 kilos.

Track driving experience

By the time you’ve read this, you can comprehend that Artura is fast, but in today’s age of supercars, hypercars, and even electric vehicles (EVs), fast is boring. It is no longer about how quickly you can go, but how the car makes you feel while going fast. McLarens of the past were cars that sometimes terrified their drivers.

One needed to be a professional race driver or understand the car dynamics to exploit their full potential. Artura is the opposite personality of that. You would be forgiven if you thought the Artura was closer in driving experience to a Porsche 911 than any previous McLaren.

The handling on the Artura is sublime – the hydraulic steering, a rare feat in modern cars, provides the perfect feedback for a spirited driving experience. The weigh-in of the steering wheel is precise, and you know exactly what the tyres are doing, be it on the road or the racetrack. The entire feedback is very linear, inspiring confidence even with novice drivers.

The McLaren Artura delivers on both performance and daily driving duties – it is a one-car-fits-all driving solution. For everyday driving duties in the city, Artura fits the bill. If you decide to go to the shops, the all-electric mode can help you get in and out of town quickly and with zero emissions.

The electric motors even give you a top speed of roughly 90km/h. So, you are not only doing the world a favour, but also enjoying a pure electric driving experience in a PHEV sports car.

New interiors of the Artura

A new car deserves an entirely new interior, and Mclaren provided just that to go along with an exhilarating driving experience. McLaren builds over its minimalistic design by removing buttons, as everything is now operated via an 8.0-inch floating touchscreen.

The Artura’s infotainment system comes overlaid with all-new software, housing modern connectivity features such as smartphone and Bluetooth connectivity and built-in navigation. The steering wheel is made entirely of aluminium and is devoid of any buttons. Its cabin brims with some exotic materials such as leather and microsuede. The seats are comfortable enough for pleasurable long-distance cruising.

Verdict

Should you buy the McLaren Artura? I came away highly impressed by the Mclaren Artura. It superseded all my expectations. Yes, there is competition from the Italians, but the Artura holds its ground in the face of a fight.

The Artura is now locally available at your nearby Mclaren dealership. It is priced at Dhs1.1m

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